Repowering my 15 ft 1986 Bayliner Capri

[dean rogers]

hello,
I am looking to repower my 1986 15 foot bayliner capri 85 HP motor, its rated max 90 HP both the boat and transom are still ok, I wanted to put a 2019 70 Yamaha on it, will that push it ok? i'm not looking for speed so much as to take into account the age of the boat, and I hear todays outboards are more powerfull than they were 30 years ago.

 

[H20Rat]

(you didn't mention it, but assuming that is the ever popular 85hp Chrysler Force that you have today)


All outboards had to be prop rated by 1985, so it would be unlikely that was a crank rated engine. And 85hp back then is still 85hp today, and going to a 4 stroke might actually cost you some performance even. The good news is that a 70 yamaha is almost exactly the same weight as a 85hp Force. Going to a 90hp Etec is +70 pounds, and going to a 90hp merc 4 stroke is about 100 pounds heavier than what you have today.

In any case, are you happy with the performance today? The yamaha will start and run far better, but top speed and out-of-the-hole is going to be about the same.

 

[dean rogers]

yes I took into consideration the weight factor due to the age of transom, although still inspected by the dealer as good to go, they next Yamaha is the 75 at 100 lbs more than my 85 force, is it really an all popular or are you joshing?

 

[southkogs]

"Popular" as in "they got used a lot, but no one really likes 'em."

Force motors weren't all bad, but they're tough to service anymore and have a bad reputation.

 

[H20Rat]

I had a couple years of experience with a couple different force engines. All had similar traits, they didn't like to idle, loaded up almost immediately, and were generally hard starting. When they ran, they ran 'ok'.

Why are you repowering? If the force is still running, I'd just run it as-is.

 

[jkust]

I grew up on an 84 Bayliner same model as yours that my parents bought new. Still have it and still looks like it rolled off the showroom floor interior wise with no restoration while the exterior had a few dock rash spots. The 85 Force has been bulletproof with no issues all these years. It took only the slightest amount of care to keep what was even then a cheap boat and engine like new. Problem of course was that because it was cheap in an era where people didn't have access to other people's money as easily as today, they got bought by every first time boater with no clue how to properly maintain and store a boat and since the materials were not the best, the boats got disheveled with the neglect. To me an old bayliner like this is a fun little boat to have in your fleet and use once in a while. I would keep the force on just for the nostalgia value.